Cellar Selection: 1979 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Today we share one of the great wines I tasted while recently abroad. Chateau Pichon Lalande was founded by Pierre de Mazur de Rauzan towards the end of the XVIIth century. This 80 hectare site extended from Pauillac and Saint-Julien.

Pierre de Rauzan married off his daughter Thérèse to Jacques François de Pichon, Seigneur de Longueville Rauzan, Rauzan then passed on the estate to them which became the Pichon Longueville estate. Ths would later split the second growth houses of Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande and Chateau Pichon Baron. Rauzan gave his three sons 60 acres of vineyards around Chateau Margaux that would later be Chateau Rauzan-Segla and others.

In 1925, Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande was bought by Edouard Miailhe and Louis Miailhe. The daughter of Edouard Miailhe, May Elaine de Lancquesaing became the owner and manager of the property. In 2006, de Lencquesaing sold a majority interest in the Château to the Rouzaud family, which also owns the Champagne house Louis Roederer. In 2009, the Roederer Group invested 30 million dollars in a replanting plan and a new wine cellar, making the vineyards biodynamic.

The house typically has a higher level of Merlot and lower percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in their blends compared to their neighbors. Usually now the range is between 70 and 75% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The vintage I tasted was one year before my birth year, 1979, which was not a good year in Bordeaux. The 1979 Chateau Pichon Lalande (OB, 93) has lost much of its fruit but has some really nice truffle and dusty soil notes. It is smooth and refined on the palate, a true joy to drink now. Learn more about this famed house at https://www.pichon-comtesse.com/en and here is my review of the 1979 Chateau Pichon Lalande.

1979 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande- The really good 1979 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is an excellent effort from this tough vintage. On the nose this has black truffle shavings and salty soils alongside shades of dried herbs and faint dark currant tones. The palate is refined and elegant with faint tannins that frame a core of wild mushroom, damp earth and shades of wild blackberry. Enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 93

Scharffenberger

We share a great spot for California bubbles today. Out of the Anderson Valley, Scharffenberger Cellars was founded back in 1981 and is located only a few miles from Pacific Ocean. The brand was started by John Scharffenberger, and was bought by Louis Roederer in 2004. Winemaker Jeffrey Jindra crafts some beautiful value sparkling wines that are fresh and vibrant with great texture. The tasting room is in a charming Mendocino country bungalow in downtown Philo. Behind it, the 35,000-square-foot winery sits to the north amid hillside vineyards. An old redwood grove has been carefully protected on the 160-acre property.

I loved the new wines, especially the NV Scharffenberger ‘Brut Rose’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 91) which is soft and nicely textured. Learn more about this storied Anderson Valley house at https://scharffenbergercellars.com and here are my notes on the beautiful new sparkling wines.

NV Scharffenberger ‘Brut Excellence’ Sparkling Wine- The really good NV Scharffenberger ‘Brut Excellence’ Sparkling Wine combines 60% Chardonnay with the remainder Pinot Noir. Soft and very approcahblem this offers peach and kiwi nots alongside cashew nut accents and red raspberry. Enjoy now and over the next six years. Drink 2024-2030- 90

NV Scharffenberger ‘Brut Rose’ Sparkling Wine- Very pale in the glass, the brilliant NV Brut Rose was given 10G/L dosage and combines 55% Chardonnay with 45% Pinot Noir. Fresh and nicely textured, this offers salted minerals alongside guava and strawberry fruit flavors with orange zest notes. Drink 2024-2030- 91

Hyatt Vineyards

“When I met him I really liked him” winemaker Caleb Foster told me regarding his first interaction with the Hyatt owner. Foster came to Hyatt Vineyards in 2022. He stated “I had 700 barrels of this wine and I found a future here. Forget about the past, here is where you are going. The kids wanted to keep the winery and they live around the block. They saw the last 40 years of this place and they were here for the good times. Sean Hyatt told me that there were standing room only, 1000 people a weekend, this was in the ‘90s.” Hyatt once produced 30 thousand cases of wine years ago. They have 90 acres that they own and harvest as some of the fruit is sold. Ste. Michelle once bought two-thirds of the vineyard. They now make 20 thousand cases of wine.

Talking Riesling, he looked for the Kabinett style with the ‘Dry’ Riesling which was kept on the lees and then bottled in January 2024, as this was picked at roughly 20 Brix. With the ‘Lynda’s’ Riesling this was made in a Auslese style and is named after the founder’s wife. This also aged on the lees for a shorter period before bottling. The Rose was acutely made with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that was gently pressed and then stored on the lees in stainless steel.

To my knowledge they are the only winery in our state that makes Saperavi which is a middle-eastern varietal that dates back eight thousand years. The Persian kings were drinking this varietal.”

The wines were very good across the board. I really enjoyed the 2023 Hyatt ‘Lynda’s’ Riesling (OB, 92) which is dense and has a sterling tension. Learn more about these great new wines at https://www.hyattvineyards.com/ and here are my reviews of the new Hyatt wines.

2023 Hyatt ‘Dry’ Riesling- Coming from the Rattlesnake Hills, the 2023 ‘Dry’ Riesling (4 G/L residual sugar) offers petrol and orange blossom alongside wet stone notes on the nose. The palate has good freshness and tension with a smooth texture, loaded with peach and melon flavors alongside a bright sense of minerality. Drink 2024-2029- 91

2023 Hyatt ‘Lynda’s’ Riesling- Perched in a blue bottle, the 2023 ‘Lynda’s’ is an Auslase-inspired bottling that is absolutely delicious. Sweet pear and nectarine flavors collide with honey and minerals on the palate. This shows some beautiful length as the Riesling is best consumed now and over the next six plus years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2023 Hyatt ‘Desert Rose’ Rose- The 2023 ‘Desert Rose’ is a beautiful wine that is showing brilliantly right now. Made from mainly Cabernet Franc grapes, the wine was lightly pressed and then was aged in stainless steel before bottling, as this was aged on the lees. Bright guava, green melon and red cherry with strawberry notes all complete this wine that shows damp earth accents. This is really good stuff at only 12.5% alcohol. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2022 Hyatt Saperavi- Saperavi is a middle-eastern varietal that dates back eight thousand years. The Persian kings were drinking this varietal. This was made by Caleb Foster prior to him tasting the varietal as this was stored in all natural oak barrels before bottling. Black currants, tar and huckleberry fruit notes mark the nose with graphite accents. The palate is soft and elegant with a smooth texture. Juicy black and blue fruits mingle well with a smooth texture. Drink 2024-2032- 90

2022 Hyatt Syrah- The 2022 Hyatt Syrah has roughly 5% Viognier blended in and was stored in neutral oak barrels before bottling. Inky in the glass, this offers pencil lead and violets on the nose alongside smoke and shades of black licorice. The palate is very fresh and soft with a soft texture and good sense of weight and tension. Lithe and polished, this is really enjoyable stuff to enjoy over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2022 Hyatt Merlot- The 2022 Hyatt Merlot was also stored in neural oak barrels (French and American oak) prior to bottling. This shows loganberry and milk chocolate notes alongside garrigue notes on the nose. The palate is fresh and polished with a smooth texture, loaded with juicy red fruits. Drink 2024-2032- 91

2022 Hyatt Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2022 Hyatt Cabernet Sauvignon is a delicious bottling that is already showing nicely at the two year mark. Stored in French and American used oak barrels, this offers creme de violette, tar, anise and shades of black currants on the palate alongside graphite accents. This needs a bit of time for the fruit to fully set in. Drink 2025-2035- 92

2023 Hyatt Black Muscat Dessert Wine- A Rose-colored dessert wine, the 2023 Black Muscat sets in at 7% alcohol. A beautiful floral bouquet greets you with potpourri alongside bright red fruits and candied orange notes. The palate has serious tension with lip-smacking acidity. Delicious now, don’t serve too cold! Drink 2024-2029- 91

Tirriddis

Today we share an exciting new sparkling house in Washington State. A few years back Tirriddis began as a project with three friends —Andrew Gerow, Matthew Doutney, and Gabriel Crowell — who were all completing their degree in Viticulture & Enology at WSU Tri-Cities. The name, Tirriddis, derives from Tirage, Riddle, and Disgorge - the three steps to naturally produce sparkling wines. Focused solely on this traditional method, they use unique "non-traditional" styles to emphasize Washington's world class growing environment.

The new wines were every good. I love the MV Tirridis ‘Washington Rendition No. 3’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 90) which is a kitchen sink blend that is really well-done. Learn more at https://www.tirriddis.com and here are my reviews of the new Tirriddis wines.

MV Tirriddis ‘Brut Red’ Sparkling Red Wine- The ‘Brut Red’ was given 12G/L dosage with the base vintage being 2022. Red currant, pomegranate seed and earl grey tea alongside orange rind notes all combine on the palate. This is novel and complex stuff that is delicious to enjoy right now. Drink 2024-2029- 90

MV Tirriddis ‘Washington Rendition No. 3’ Sparkling Wine- This wine is a kitchen sink blend of varietals that combine Pinot Gris (29%) with 15% Chardonnay and the remainder Riesling, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Albarino and others. Given 15G/L dosage, this opens with peach and Marcona almond on the nose alongside shades of white flowers. The palate is soft and refreshing, loaded with melon and red fruit flavors. Based vintage comes from 2022. Drink 2024-2029- 90

MV Tirriddis ‘Blanc de Gris Rendition No. 4’ Sparkling Wine- Coming from the 2022 vintage, the ‘Blanc de Gris’ comes from high altitude vineyards in the Rattlesnake Hills AVA. On the nose this takes on layers of nutmeg dusted pie crust and Macadamia nut alongside Japanese pear, alongside shades of kumquat rind. The palate is refined and generous with beautiful depth. Drink 2024-2032- 91

MV Tirriddis ‘Barrel Fermented Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine- The MV Tirridis ‘Barrel Fermented Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine was stored in mostly new French oak barrels before bottling. The wine was given 4G/L dosage before bottling with a 2022 base. Fresh and lithe, this offers Meyer lemon zest alongside sourdough bread, white peach and suggestions of salty minerals on the palate. Drink 2024-2031- 92

MV Tirriddis ‘Grand Rendition’ Sparkling Wine- This is the first edition of this wine with a base from 2020 and 2021. Aged for 30 months en tirage, the wine is nearly all Chardonnay. Given 10G/L dosage, the wine was entirely sourced from the Rattlesnake Hills AVA. This is dense and chewy stuff with ginger, orange zest, and Pink Lady apple notes alongside a beautiful effervescence. Drink 2024-2031- 92

Elias Mora

Today we share one of the jewels of this tiny region of Spain, Toro, Elias Mora has been producing gorgeous, terroir-driven Tempranillo wines now for decades. I love the consistency of the house and the quality of wines even at their entry level. There is something that they are able to produce with not only rich fruits but dusty soils that makes these wines so wonderfully earthy and rustic to back up the dense dark fruits. Elias Mora makes some world-class Reserva and Gran Reserva bottlings that are also amongst the best in the region. These wines age exceptionally well. Winemaker Victoria Benavides founded this house back in 2000 and named it after the former owner of the vineyard, Elias Mora.

I adored these wines across the board. For a killer value check out the 2022 Elias Mora Toro (OB, 92) which is dense, chewy and full of life. I adored the 2018 Elias Mora ‘La Senda de Los Lobos’ Toro (OB, 96) which comes from this single vineyard and has gobs of viscosity and aging potential.You have to admire the level of richness, finesse and texture. Learn more about these beautiful wines at https://bodegaseliasmora.com/en/ and here are my reviews of the new Mora wines.

2018 Elias Mora ‘La Senda de Los Lobos’ Toro- A world-class wine, the 2018 Elias Mora ‘La senda de Los Lobos’ Toro was sourced from 80 year old Tinta de Toro vines and was stored in 100% new French oak for 17 months prior to bottling. This edition is every bit as good as the scintillating 2017. Mocha, tar, damp earth and bulls blood parade with exotic spices on the palate. Full-bodied, with a brilliant core of pure black fruits, this is heady, concentrated and beautifully structured wine that has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2024-2044- 96

2022 Elias Mora ‘Toro’ Toro- The 2022 ‘Toro’ is a great new effort that is drinking marvelously right now. Coffee grounds, black fruits and shades of scorched earth all combine with the wonderful verve on the palate. Delicious and lithe, enjoy over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2020 Elias Mora ‘Crianza’ Toro- The 2020 ‘Crianza’ is sourced from Tinta de Toro vines set at roughly 800 meters. Inky in the glass, this takes on a gorgeous bouquet of red raspberry and garrigue notes alongside pencil lead and shades of Black Forest cake. The palate is soft and refined with a silky texture and beautiful underlying tension. Dense and heady, enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2024-2036- 93

2017 Elias Mora ‘Reserva’ Toro- A stunning wine that is now at the seven year mark, the 2017 ‘Reserva’ is deeply colored in the glass. Coming from old vine Tinta de Toro, this offers freshly tilled salty soils, tar and tobacco leaf notes on the nose alongside a graphite edge. The palate is dense and complex with refined tannins and a great sense of weight, showing off a beautiful range of black fruit flavors. Elegant and sinfully good now, watch this evolve over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039- 94

Abeja

Today we share one of the outstanding outposts of Walla Walla. I have long enjoyed visiting this scenic site in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Abeja is one of the most beautiful sites you will see in the Walla Walla Valley. They have a brand new facility there that is spacious and squeaky clean. Abeja wines were first made by illustrious winemaker John Abbott as this location boasts eight luxury cottages, with a large farmhouse, creeks, and gardens on the 38 acre property. Abeja relies on the winemaking talents of Dan Wampfler and Amy Alvarez-Wampfler. Both Dan and Amy have more than 30 years of combined winemaking experience. They work closely together on the wines and craft truly one of the great overall lineups of wine. There is little doubt that the Abeja Chardonnay has been one of the benchmarks for Washington State.

I love the new 2023 Abeja ‘Washington State’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) which is a stunning bottling that comes from several Columbia Valley sites. Just as good is the gorgeous 2023 Abeja ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Viognier (OB, 94) which has an awesome push-pull in terms of richness and tension.  is rich with outstanding flavor complexity and great underlying tension. Learn more about this outstanding winery at http://www.abeja.net/ Here are the great new wines by Abeja.

2023 Abeja ‘Washington State’ Chardonnay- The outstanding 2023 Abeja ‘Washington State’ Chardonnay comes from a range of sites throughout the Columbia Valley. It is seamless and beautifully balanced, coming off fat on the mouth, yielding layers of buttercream, poached pear and baking spice laced Challah bread flavors. Medium to full-bodied with good underlying tension, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2023 Abeja ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Viognier- The 2023 Abeja ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Viognier is a fabulous release by winemakers Amy and Dan Wampfler. Stored in mostly neutral oak, on the nose this shows off bright star jasmine and honeysuckle notes alongside shades of papaya and rich honeydew melon. The palate is refined and elegant with a smooth mouthfeel. Generous and well-structured, enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2022 Abeja ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Chardonnay- A gorgeous 2022 Chardonnay coming from the Mill Creek and Skysill Vineyards, this offers brioche and Golden delicious apple on the nose alongside roasted pineapple. The palate is plush and refined with a seamless texture and great veil of tension running through the core of melon, orchard and citrus fruits. Enjoy this beauty now and over the next decade. Drink 2024-2034- 95

2022 Abeja ‘Columbia Valley’ Merlot- The 2022 ‘Columbia Valley’ Merlot is a 100% varietal wine sourced from the Red Mountain, Walla Walla Valley, and White Bluffs AVAs. Toasty oak and espresso grounds mark the nose alongside chocolate covered black cherry. The palate is refined and luxurious in terms of weight, texture and structure. A stunning wine from this slightly cooler vintage, enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2024-2039- 95

2021 Abeja ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 Abeja ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautiful rendition of this wine that has 13% Merlot blended in and hails from the Red Mountain, Walla Walla Valley, and White Bluffs AVAs. Once on the nose this offers dark currants and sandalwood tones alongside Black Forest cake and tar accents. The palate is deep and refined with a smooth mouthfeel and great sense of concentration. Generous and delicious to consume now, this will cellar well for at least another fifteen years. Drink 2024-2042- 96

2021 Abeja ‘Heather Hill’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 Abeja ‘Heather Hill’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a downright gorgeous offering that has a long way to go in the cellar. Sourced from the Heather Hill Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley, this shows off dried herbs, creme de violette and Turkish coffee notes on the nose. The palate is luxurious and refined with serious texture, verve and flavor density. A joy to consume now, enjoy now and over the next twenty years. Drink 2024-2044- 97

Granville Wine Co.

Jackson Holstein is one of the great young talents in Oregon wine. I have been tasting these wines now for several years and they are getting better and better. Granville Wine Company was founded by the Holstein family a few years back as Jackson and Ayala Holstein founded their winery paying homage to Jackson’s father who was a viticulturist. As a child Jackson spent time pruning vines and washing bins and didn’t fall in love with Oregon wine until college when he and his wife found their calling. They began making wine as a hobby and also worked at wineries and traveled to international wine growing regions. Over many years I adored the ‘Cowhouse’ bottlings by Rollin Soles for Argyle, which came from Jackson’s family vineyard, the Holstein Vineyard. I fondly recall enjoying the 2004 and 2005 Cowhouse bottlings in particular which I savored over several years in my personal collection.

I love the new top Granville wines from the 2022 vintage. Don’t miss out on the 2022 Granville Wine Company ‘Odella’ Chardonnay (OB, 96) which is amongst the finest wines that I have tasted from Mr. Holstein. This is seriously dense, delicious and nery Chardonnay that is best consumed now and over the next ten plus years. Learn more about these great new wines at http://www.granvillewines.com Here are the new wine releases by Granville Wine Company.

2022 Grandville ‘Odella’ Chardonnay- This is the second release of this wine.  Coming from the Koosah and Summit Vineyards, this was stored in 40% new French oak before bottling. Salted nectarine and macadamia nut notes combine with flinty accents on the nose. The palate is very nervy and dense with serious tension and loads of mouth-watering acidity. here is a diatomaceous earth note that makes this very Oregon v Chablis. The unctuous texture coats the mid-palate, as this has downright killer length. Enjoy this beauty over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2024-2041- 96

2022 Granville ‘Louie’ Pinot Noir- Stored in 40% new French oak, this is sourced from the Holstein Vineyard in the Dundee Hills AVA. This underwent 40% whole cluster fermentation, as this opens with black truffle shavings, tar, anise and shades of black raspberry notes. The palate is elegant and refined with a silky texture and plenty of weight and verve. Dense and chewy, this has some incredible aging potential. Drink 2024-2044- 95

Chehalem and Stoller

Today we share some of the outstanding houses of the Willamette Valley, both owned by Stoller. Earlier in the year I had the chance to interview Oregon wine icon, Bill Stoller who chatted about his illustrious history in wine. Stoller dates back to 1993 when Bill Stoller acquired a family property from his cousin. Immediately Stoller saw potential to grow world class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Two years after the acquisition he planted 10 acres each of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and fast forward to today the vineyard is now the largest contiguous vineyard in Oregon's Dundee Hills. The property spans 400 acres, with 225 acres focused on growing vines at elevations ranging from 220 to 640 feet. Ten varietals are planted in this vineyard, including Viognier, Pinot Meunier and even Aligote. 

The new wines were awesome and Chehalem winemaker Katie Santora has created another outstanding entry level Pinot Noir. I really enjoyed the 2023 Chehalem ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir (OB, 91) which has good depth and flavor range at a great price under 40 bucks. Learn more about this outstanding Oregon winery at https://www.stollerfamilyestate.com and chehalemwines.com and here are my reviews of the the beautiful new wines by Stoller and Chehalem.

2023 Stoller ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- The label spells out ‘bright cherry | raspberry |baking spices’ which for my palate is right on the money alongside citrus rind and damp soil notes on the palate. Highly enjoyable now, savor over the next six plus years. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2023 Chehalem ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- More earthy and less fruity than the 2023 Stoller WV bottling, the 2023 Chehalem ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir delivers freshly tilled soils and peat moss notes on the palate that take shape alongside a core of tart red fruits. Really we—done and nuanced, enjoy over the next six to eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 91

Miguel Torres

Today we share a really good winery out of Chile. Miguel Torres (born 1941) is a Spanish winemaker, author and businessman. He is President and Managing Director of Bodegas Torres, and is a member of the fourth generation of this family business. He also manages the company's vineyards in Chile and collaborates with his sister Marimar Torres in California. Miguel Torres wines are sold in more than 100 countries!

The new wines come from the 2021 and 2022 vintages. They are some really nice values. I really enjoyed the 2022 Miguel Torres ‘La Causa’ Cinsault (OB, 90) which is really easy to drink right now. Learn more at https://www.migueltorres.cl/en/quienes-somos/#nosotros and here are my reviews of the Miguel Torres wines.

2021 Miguel Torres ‘La Causa’ Cinsault- This 2021 Cinsault offers garrigue and red currants on the nose alongside strawberry notes and menthol accents. The palate is soft and elegant with a smooth texture. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 90

2021 Miguel Torres ‘La Causa’ Pais- The 2021 Pais shows bergamot and orange rind notes on the nose with pomegranate seed tones. Fresh and smooth with an elegant texture, enjoy now and over the next six plus years. Drink 2024-2031- 91

2021 Miguel Torres ‘Cinsault | Pais | Carignan’ Red Wine- The 2021 Miguel Torres ‘Cinsault | Pais | Carignan’ Red Wine shows off ripe red fruits with shades of tobacco leaf and salty soils on the palate. Medium bodied, enjoy now. Drink 2024-2030- 90

2022 Miguel Torres ‘Andica’ Carmenere- This 2022 Carmenere has a msooth mputhfeel and comes of slightly sweet. Herbal and sweetened blackberry flavors mingle together on the palate. Drink 2024-2028- 87

2022 Miguel Torres ‘Andica’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2022 Miguel Torres ‘Andica’ Cabernet Sauvignon delivers tar, black licorice and black currant flavors that meld well with chocolate accents. Drink 2024-2030- 89

2022 Miguel Torres ‘Millapoa’ Pais- The 2022 ‘Millapoa’ Pais shows dried herbs on the nose alongside ripe red fruits with sandalwood accents. Soft and elegant, enjoy now. Drink 2024-2030- 90

Cellar Selection: 2016 Quilceda Creek 'Galitzine Vineyard' Cabernet Sauvignon

It is always a pleasure to dip into my cellar and grab a Quilceda Creek wine with some age. This weekend I had some friends over and had to open an older wine. This wine was the 2016 Quilceda Creek ‘Galitzine Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon. I think this is up there with the 2018 as well as the 2021 and 2022 as the finest ‘Galitzine’ wines made.

The Galitzine Vineyard is a small site set in the Red Mountain AVA, which is typically the warmest appellation in Washington State and an ideal region for growing red wine grapes. The location is farmed by Vineyard Manager Dan Nickolaus, and the 17-acre Galitzine Vineyard was planted in 2001-2002 exclusively to Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 8. The vineyard is clearly really coming into its own right now at the twenty year mark. Wines from this site have massive power with beautiful tar and scorched earth notes from this hot site. This is usually one of the earlier sites to be harvested by Quilceda Creek.

2016 was a beautiful growing season, especially for red wines. There was a warm, rather hot summer with relatively moderate temperatures in the fall and certainly more moderate than the extremely hot 2015 vintage. This helped with wines attaining bright acidity.  Without further adieu, here is my review of the gorgeous 2016 ‘Galitzine Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon by Quilceda Creek.

2016 Quilceda Creek ‘Galitzine Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauviginon- A stunning wine from this warm vintage the 2016 Quilceda Creek ‘Galitzine Vineyard’ is a dense and hedonistic treat that is really right in its sweet spot. It is inky and very perfumed in the glass, offering scorched earth and tar with pipe tobacco leaf and dense dark and blue fruits on the nose. The palate is plush and seamless as it glides throughout the drinking experience. Unabashedly bold and thick with serious viscosity and its pillowy texture, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 100

Xurus Vertical Tasting

Today we share a great vertical tasting out of Lake County. Xurus began back in 2007 with eminent winemaker Dennis Malbec, former cellar master at Chateau Latour. Xurus is a partnership between two brothers-in-law uniting in a shared passion for making great wine. They craft their Xurus Cabernet Sauvignon from a site set on rolling hills of Northern California’s Lake County.

The wines were very good across the board. I really enjoy the 2012 Xurus (OB, 92) which is beautifully structured and the 2014 Xurus (OB, 93) which is ore dense and heady. Learn more about these outstanding wines at https://xurus.com and here are my reviews of the Xurus vertical tasting from vintages 2010 to 2014.

2010 Xurus Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from Lake County, the 2010 Xurus Cabernet Sauvignon is a fine showing in this slightly cooler vintage. Once on the nose this takes on layers of black currants and cassis notes with black licorice and shades of pipe tobacco. The palate is medium to full-bodied with soft tannins that frame a generous core of black fruits and chocolate. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2011 Xurus Cabernet Sauvignon- This delicious, cool vintage Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from the Sonatina Vineyard. Stored for 18 months in 60% new wood, this delivers a smooth mouthfeel upon entry. Blackberry compote and milk chocolate flavors combine with stony minerals and savory herbs on the palate. Very Bordelaise and showing good weight despite the obvious challenges this vintage, enjoy now and over the next six years. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2012 Xurus Cabernet Sauvignon- The outstanding 2012 Xurus Cabernet Sauvignon was stored for 18 months in 70% new French oak prior to bottling. This is elegant and delicious Cabernet Sauvignon with bay leaf and graphite notes alongside espresso grounds and shades of Black Forest cake on the palate. Delicious now, this will cellar for another decade. Drink 2024-2034- 92

2013 Xurus Cabernet Sauvignon- A beautifully balanced effort, the 2013 Xurus Cabernet Sauvignon speaks to the warmth of the vintage. Soft and elegant on the mouth, this has a generous texture, yet maintains bright underlying acidity. Chocolate cake and Turkish coffee notes combine with boysenberry and black cherry flavors, alongside suggestions of creosote. Medium to full-bodied, enjoy now and over the next ten to twelve years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2014 Xurus Cabernet Sauvignon- A delightful wine from this giving vintage, the 2014 Xurus Cabernet Sauvignon was stored for 20 months in 65% new French oak barrels prior to bottling. Pencil lead and black florals mark the nose alongside sandalwood and dusty soils. The palate is plush and soft with good elegance and poise throughout the drinking experience. Medium to full-bodied, enjoy this outstanding bottling now and over the next twelve years. Drink 2024-2036- 93

Approachment Wine Co.

I love the newer wineries of the Pacific Northwest. Approachment was started by Jessica and Paden West who both have many years of industry experience. Jessica started her wine path working in wine shops and tasting rooms. After learning the sales portion of the business, Jessica acquired an internship in 2013 at Bethel Heights Vineyard working directly with Winemaker Ben Casteel and viticulture master Mimi Casteel. Jessica then entered the NW Wine Studies program to earn her degree in Winemaking. Paden grew up in the Willamette Valley and began his path in wine just as Jessica did -by working in wine shops and tasting rooms. In 2010, Paden was offered an internship at Penner-Ash, managed by Winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash and Assistant Winemaker Brian Irvine. After finding his fire for the winemaking side of the business, Paden also enrolled in the NW Wine Studies program…where his lab partner turned out to be Jessica West. The rest has been history.

I love the new 2023 Approachment ‘Point of Contact’ (OB, 92) which shows serious texture and great flavor range. Learn more at https://www.approachmentwines.com/ and here are my reviews of the great Approachment wines.

2023 Approachment ‘Point of Contact’ Pinot Gris- Made from Pinot Noir grapes, the 2023 Approachment Pinot Gris offers white peach and juicy pear notes on the nose alongside watermelon tones. The palate is rich and beautifully textured, while maintaining bright underlying finesse. Nutty and earthy, this is a total knockout of a Pinot Gris that should age gracefully for six plus years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2023 Approachment ‘Take Up Space’ Gamay- Done in the carbonic style, this 2023 Gamay comes from the Cynthian Vineyard which is located in the Van Duzer AVA. This is bright and juicy Gamay, offering bubblegum and light cola notes alongside rich strawberry and red cherry flavors. Showing copious minerals, this is really nicely done stuff. Enjoy in its youth while the marvelous tension remains intact. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2022 Approachment ‘Wicked Garden’ Syrah- The 2022 ‘Wicked Garden’ Syrah comes from the Les Collines Vineyard which is set right under the Blue Mountains. Inky in the glass, this delivers great concentration and finesse with stony minerals that combine with dried herbs, cassis, black olives and shades of smoked pork shoulder on the palate. Generous and rich, with good underlying finesse, this is beautiful wine that is already drinking really well. Drink 2024-2034- 93

Grapes of Spain

Maria Casanovas

NV Cava Maria Casanovos ‘Brut de Brut’ Cava- The NV ‘Brut de Brut’ combines Macabeo, Parrillada and Xarel-Lo coming form limestone rich clay and gravel soils. Showing a refined mouthfeel, this leads with ginger and lime zest notes alongside wet chalky soils and suggestions of Gravenstein apple on the palate. Enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 90

Bodega U Mes U Fan Tres

NV ‘1+1=3’ Cava- Made from old vine Macabeo, Xarel-lo and parellada, this offers good tension with a smooth mousse. Juicy melon and citrus fruits combine with salty undercurrents on the palate. This is really good for the price. Drink 2024-2030- 89

NV’1+1=3’ Rose Cava- A blend of mainly Garnacha (85%) with the remainder Pinot Noir, this offers a salmon hue with bright red raspberry and Bing cherry flavors with salted walnut and shades of orange zest on the palate. Soft and smooth throughout the drinking experience, this is a really nice value at a little over 20 bucks USD. Drink 2024-2030- 90

2021 Bodega U Mes U Fan Tres ‘Cygnus Albireo’ Cava Reserva- The 2021 Cygnus Albireo’ Cava Reserva was crafted from old vine Xarel-Lo, Parellada and Macabeo set on stony, clay loam and limestone-rich soils. Ornage peel and pink grapefruit zest combine with green apple on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2030- 90

NV Bodega U Mes U Fan Tres ‘Sador’ Cava Reserva- The NV Bodega U Mes U Fan Tres ‘Sador’ Cava Reserva is soft on the mouth, revealing melon and citrus fruits alongside ripe strawberry notes. Medium-bodied with good poise, enjoy now. Drink 2024-2030- 90

Adegas Gran Vinum

2023 Nessa Albarino- The 2022 ‘Nessa’ comes from roughly 20 year old vines. Stored for two months in stainless steel on the lees prior to bottling, the ‘Nessa’ delivers a smooth texture with kiwi and gooseberry notes alongside shades of green melon and grapefruit pit. Gorgeous now, enjoy in its vibrant youth. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2023 Mar de Vinas Albarino- The bright 2022 Mar de Vinas Albarino is sourced from 30 year old vines. Saline drenched pear and cashew nut flavors combine with green papaya on the palate. Really good now, enjoy over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 91

The wine comes off beautifully textured, with good freshness and concentration. Layers of salted gooseberry and green apple combine with grassy and nutty undertones on the palate. This is seriously good value. Drink 2023-2028- 91

2023 Esencia Divina Albarino- An outstanding bottling by Gran Vinum,  2023 Esencia Divina Albarino was sourced from vines roughly 50 years of age. Aged on lees in stainless tanks before bottling, this offers serious texture and underlying tension with its salty essence. Rich melon and citrus fruits collide with hints of Yakima cherry. A seriously good wine, enjoy over the next eight years to come. Drink 2024-2032- 93

has wonderful saline drenched melon and citrus fruit tones on the palate, displaying serious tension and flavor density. Finishing very long, this is quite simply and incredible wine that will drink well for another eight years to come. Drink 2023-2031- 93

2023 Gran Vinum ‘Selección Especial’ Albarino- The brilliant 2023 Gran Vinum ‘Selección Especial’ Albarino comes from 50-year-old vines sourced from the Miranda Aurosa estate vineyard. Honeysuckle water, kiwi, white peach and juicy Pink Lady apple flavors all combine with salty minerals on the palate. Offering some serious weight and good verve, with nutty accents, enjoy this beautiful wine over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

Bodega Arrocal

2022 Bodegas Arrocal Ribera del Duero- The 2022 Bodegas Arrocal Ribera del Duero is sourced from younger estate vines. Aged for nine months in a combination of French and American oak, this offers blackberry compote and espressos grounds with sandalwood tones on the palate. Soft and nicely textured, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2021 Bodegas Arrocal ‘Selección Especial’ Ribera del Duero- The outstanding 2021 ‘Selección Especial’ comes from the Los Astrales Vineyard which dates back to 1985. This is soft, round and generous on the mouth, delivering a beautiful core of black fruits alongside coffee grounds, violets and shades of graphite. Beautifully structured and layered, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 92

2019 Bodegas Arrocal ‘Reserva de Familia’ Ribera del Duero- The 2019 ‘Reserva de Familia comes from vines more than 70 year old that are grown in sandy clay soils. A brooding, deep color greets you, as the wine deftly battles both verve and power in the glass. In the end, like a heavyweight boxer, the power emerges, with massive dark and blue fruit flavors that are tamed with firm tannins and espresso ground flavors. A truly stunning wine, this is just a joy to consume now — but do your best to resist this massive wine for at least another year if you can. Drink 2024-2045- 95

Bodegas Penalba Herraiz

2021 Carravid Ribera Del Duero- The 2021 Carravid is a delicious wine that offers light tobacco leaf tones alongside a core of black fruits with chocolate and pencil lead notes. Medium to full-bodied, enjoy now. Drink 2024-2030- 91

Casa Lebai

2020 Casa Labai Matadiablos- A gorgeous wine from Ribera del Duero , the 2020 Casa Lbai Metadiablos comes from nearly 30 year old vines and was stored in French oak for 12 months before bottling. The palate is smooth and plush with refined tannins and a gorgeous core of black fruits, with baking spices, Turkish coffee and a graphite edge. Delicious now, watch this evolve over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2040- 94

San Roman

2021 San Roman ‘Prima’ Toro- The 2021 ‘Prima’ comes from Toro vineyards up to 50 years of age. Super juicy with dark currants, tobacco leaf and milk chocolate, alongside mint and scorched earth accents, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2031- 91

Isaac Fernandez Selección

2023 Egeo Rueda- This beautiful 100% Verdejo wine offers melon and walnut notes on the nose alongside shades of white peach. The palate is lithe and polished with serious underlying verve and salty undertones. A gorgeous rendition of this wine, enjoy now and over the next six years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2021 Acentor Garnacha- The outstanding 2021 Acentor Garnacha delivers tar, allspice dusted red currants and cran-pomegranate aromatics. The palate is fresh and fat on the tongue, with a juicy core of citrus rind, freshly tilled salty soils and red fruits. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2020 Acentor Maturana- This indigenous varietal is essentially not grown anywhere but Rioja. The 2020 Maturana is nicely salty and stony on the palate, with black raspberry, Earl Grey tea and shades of wet stone accents. Beautifully done with its soft mouthfeel, enjoy now and over the next eight years to come. Drink 2023-2031- 92

2019 Isaac Fernandez ‘Reserva’ Ribera del Duero- The 2019 Isaac Fernandez comes from Tina del Pais vines planted near the village of Roa de Duero at high elevation. Densely colored this delivers graphite and tar on the nose alongside dark currants and shades of violets. The palate is rich and layered with a polished texture. A gorgeous rendition of Ribera, this has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2024-2040- 93

2022 Finca La Mata Ribera del Duero- A really cool wine, the 2022 Finca La Mata is sourced from old vine Tinta del Pais. This is generous and round on the mouth with a vibrant acidity and dense sense of weight. Black currants and milk chocolate flavors parade with dusty minerals and damp earth on the palate. This is delicious, beautifully evolved stuff that should be consumed over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

Elias Mora

2018 Elias Mora ‘La Senda de Los Lobos’ Toro- A world-class wine, the 2018 Elias Mora ‘La senda de Los Lobos’ Toro was sourced from 80 year old Tinta de Toro vines and was stored in 100% new French oak for 17 months prior to bottling. This edition is every bit as good as the scintillating 2017. Mocha, tar, damp earth and bulls blood parade with exotic spices on the palate. Full-bodied, with a brilliant core of pure black fruits, this is heady, concentrated and beautifully structured wine that has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2024-2044- 96

2022 Elias Mora ‘Toro’ Toro- The 2022 ‘Toro’ is a great new effort that is drinking marvelously right now. Coffee grounds, black fruits and shades of scorched earth all combine with the wonderful verve on the palate. Delicious and lithe, enjoy over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2020 Elias Mora ‘Crianza’ Toro- The 2020 ‘Crianza’ is sourced from Tinta de Toro vines set at roughly 800 meters. Inky in the glass, this takes on a gorgeous bouquet of red raspberry and garrigue notes alongside pencil lead and shades of Black Forest cake. The palate is soft and refined with a silky texture and beautiful underlying tension. Dense and heady, enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2024-2036- 93

2017 Elias Mora ‘Reserva’ Toro- A stunning wine that is now at the seven year mark, the 2017 ‘Reserva’ is deeply colored in the glass. Coming from old vine Tinta de Toro, this offers freshly tilled salty soils, tar and tobacco leaf notes on the nose alongside a graphite edge. THe palate is dense and complex with refined tannins and a great sense of weight, showing off a beaitufl range of black fruit flavors. Elegant and sinfully good now, watch this evolve over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039- 94

Vina Otano

2018 Vina Otano Graciano Rioja- A knockout wine, the 2018 Graciano is big and bold, loaded with Welche’s grape juice and black raspberry flavors on the palate. Full-bodied and generous on the mouth, with lovely herbal and damp earth tones, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2019 Vina Ontano Maturana- Deep purple in the glass, the 2019 Maturana offers purple flowers on the nose alongside tar, tobacco leaf and worn leather notes. The palate is fat and full with good underlying acidity. Enjoyable now, consume over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2017 Vina Otano ‘Reserva’ Rioja- A great wine from this vintage, the 2017 ‘Reserva’ was stored for 18 months in a combination of both French and American oak barrels before bottling. It is silky and rich throughout the drinking experience. Garrigue, tar, blackberry compote and red raspberry notes parade with salty minerals and freshly tilled soils on the palate. A enjoy to consume now, enjoy over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2016 Vina Otano ‘Gran Reserva’ Rioja- A world class wine from 2016, this ‘Gran Reserva’ spent 24 months in French and American oak barrels and then a further 36 months in barrel before bottling. Sandalwood and blackberry compote mark the nose alongside coffee grounds and shades of black currants. The palate is big and bold with a refined texture and great underlying tension, filled with salty minerals. A stunning wine now at the eight year mark, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2036- 95

Legado Del Moncayo

2023 Legado Del Moncayo Garnacha Blanca- The 2023 Legado Del Moncayo Garnacha Blanca comes from 50 year old estate vines set on granite and sandy loam soils. This is salty and fresh with great texture and loaded with bright green apple, kiwi and cantaloupe flavors. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2023 Legado Del Moncayo Garnacha- This 2023 Garnacha offers a smooth mouthfeel with bright red fruits that mingle with citrus rind and salty soils on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2030- 90

2021 Legado Del Moncayo ‘Vendima Seleccionada’ Garnacha- The seriously good 2021 Legado Del Moncayo ‘Vendima Seleccionada’ Garnacha comes from 40-60 year old bush vines set at 700-750 meters. Showing off its dark core, this delivers good depth and concentration with smoked meats, kumquat rind and dense red fruits with salty minerals and brilliant tension on the palate. A killer buy at under 20 dollars USD, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2032- 92

La Jota

One of the famed sites on Howell Mountain, La Jota dates all the way back to the 1890s as this location was founded by Fredrich Hess, an immigrant from Switzerland. Over time these wines received considerable accolades. Intriguingly they even received a gold medal for their wine at the World’s Fair of 1904 in St. Louis. La Jota wines are made from low yielding vines planted amongst 28 acres. The high altitude keeps the freshness and minerality to the wine that remains even in hot vintages like 2015. Vines are planted on volcanic soils at relatively high elevation which gives the red wines excellent richness and aging potential. The terroir of Howell Mountain also has considerably cooler temperatures at night, compared to the Napa Valley floor -- which leads to lower yields than the floor and also smaller but richly concentrated fruit. Being at higher elevation also protects the fruit from the intense temperatures sometimes experienced on the Napa floor.

Nothing short of a world-class winemaker, Christopher Carpenter has a B.A. in biology, as well as an M.B.A. in international business. After officially falling in love with wine, Carpenter completed the illustrious masters of viticulture and enology program at UC Davis. He took over as head winemaker at La Jota in 2005. He makes a range of world-class wines. I love the 2021 La Jota Merlot (OB, 98) which is amongst the finest wines of its kind that I have tasted in the past year. Powerful with loads of mouth-watering acidity, this will easily last for two decades. Learn more about these special wines at https://www.lajotavineyardco.com Here are the gorgeous new wines by La Jota.

2021 La Jota Merlot- A stunning new bottling, the 2021 La Jota Merlot is sourced from this high elevation site on Howell Mountain. Deeply colored and perfumed, this leads with anise and black rose petal aromatics alongside wintergreen, fennel seed and suggestions of damp rock. The palate is fresh and vicious with great weight and tension. Loads of mouth-watering acidity invade the mid-palate, alongside heady black and blue fruits, with pencil lead and loamy soil accents. A joy to consume now, enjoy this beauty over the next two decades. Drink 2024-2044- 98

2021 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon- The world-class 2021 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon can benefit from a long decant. Once aroused this offers black currant cordial and creme de violette flavors that meld well with the stony accents, with touches of graphite and black cherry compote. The beautiful purple and black floral aromatics add to the enjoyment as this beauty could really use another year in the cellar prior to enjoying. Drink 2025-2050- 98

Mt. Brave

One of North America’s great sites for Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and  Cabernet Franc, Mt. Brave pays homage to a the pioneering spirit of those who settled the rugged terrain of Mt. Veeder during the 1800s. The majestic Mt. Brave Vineyard is a high elevation site that is set on gravelly loam with large rocks throughout. This is very labor intensive land to farm and the wines from this site show incredible density of fruit but also wonderful, earthy terroir. The elevation also adds to the freshness in the core of the wine.

I have long enjoyed the wines by Chris Carpenter who is one of Napa’s great maestros of red wine. Chris has done a magical job with the 2021 wines. The 2021 Mt. Brave ‘Mt. Veeder’ Cabernet Franc (OB, 98) is amongst the finest editions of this wine that I have ever had. It is a show-stopper that is a must for any lover of this varietal. Find out more about this famed winery at mtbravewines.com Here is my review of the new Mt. Brave wines.

2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Franc- A world class wine by Chris Carpenter, the 2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Franc shows off its inky core, revealing violets, tar and menthol tones in the glass, alongside a hedonistic black fruit aromatic backbone. The palate is plush and dense with a refined mouthfeel and glorious depth and complexity. Beautifully-structured, with heady black and blue fruits, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next twenty years to comer. Drink 2024-2044- 98

2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon is inky in the glass, offering mountain huckleberry and black raspberry notes on the nose alongside graphite and shades of dried herbs. The palate is rich and viscous with incredible underlying tension. Pencil lead, anise, creme de cassis and chocolate cake notes all combine on the palate. A joy to consume now, savor this beauty over the next twenty years to come. Drink 2024-2044- 97

Pursued By Bear

It is my pleasure to share the brilliant wines of one of Washington’s most famous actors, Kyle MacLachlan. Originally from Yakima, MacLachlan probably best known for his major role in the hit ‘90s drama, Twin Peaks which also returned to television several years back. MacLachlan this year was in one of the hottest TV series of the year, Fallout. This is a must-see show if you haven’t had the chance to check it out.
For many years now MacLachlan relies on the talented hands of Dan Wampfler to craft his wines. These wines come from some of the choicest spots in the Columbia Valley. Dan and his wife Amy crafted what I consider to be a 100 point wine earlier in the year from the challenging 2020 vintage, their ‘Skysill’ Cabernet Sauvignon. Dan’s wines are big and bold with serious texture. I adored the 2021Pursued By Bear Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 94) which is generous and dense and has some seriously good aging potential. This one is everything you want in Columbia Valley Syrah. Learn more about this awesome project out of Washington at http://www.pursuedbybearwine.com/ Here are the great new wines by actor Kyle MacLachlan and his winery, Pursued By Bear.

2023 Pursued By Bear ‘Twin Bear’ Chardonnay- The 2023 ‘Twin Bear’ is sourced from the Yakima Valley and was stored in mainly neutral oak before bottling. It is medium-bodied and delicious, showing off baked apple, honeydew melon and saline drenched Challah bread flavors. A delight to savor now, enjoy over the next six plus years. Drink 2024-2031- 92

2021 Pursued By Bear Cabernet Sauvignon- A generous and outstanding effort from this warm vintage, the 2021 Pursued By Bear Cabernet Sauvignon mainly comes from the Les Collines Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley as well as the Dionysus and Sagemoor vineyards in the White Bluffs AVA. Right away this delivers cocoa powder and sandalwood on the nose alongside shades of dark currants and Asian spices. The palate is rich, polished and seamless with each sip, greeting you with a deep core of black fruits, alongside chocolate cake notes. This is awesome stuff to consume over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2038- 94

Louis Roederer 'Cristal' Rose

One of the great champagnes of the world, the Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ Rose Champagne was many years in the making. It all began in1974, almost 200 years after the establishment of the Champagne House of Louis Roederer and 100 years after the creation of Cristal, as Jean-Claude Rouzaud decided to create the Cristal Rosé cuvée. To achieve this, he selected old-vine Pinot noir grapes (using massale selection, which involves propagation from the vineyard’s most successful plants) from the finest grand cru vineyards of Aÿ.

The limestone bedrock and unique calcareous clay soil enable the vines (in the best years) to attain great fruit maturity, alongside the signature racy acidity that makes Cristal so special. Today, the vineyards are farmed biodynamically. Over the years, Louis Roederer has developed a unique method for the production of its rosé champagnes. This process, referred to by Roederer as the "infusion" technique, allows the winemaking team to extract the juicy, ripe character of the Pinot Noir whilst also keeping good freshness.  A small amount of Chardonnay juice is added to the Pinot Noir maceration.  Cristal Rosé 2014 is composed of grapes sourced from Aÿ, Avize, and Mesnil-sur-Oger. 19% of the wines are vinified in oak as dosage is 8 g/L. 

I was blown away with this 2014 Roederer ‘Cristal’ Rose (OB, 99) which flirts with perfection. It is a stunning wine that really needs about 20 to 30 minutes of air before consuming. Refined and nuanced, it is going to blow you away! Learn more about this special wine at https://www.louis-roederer.com/fr and here is my review of the 2014 ‘Cristal’ Rose Champagne.

2014 Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ Rose Champagne- The 2014 ‘Cristal’ Rose is a stunning, age-worthy bottling that really needs 30 plus minutes of air prior to consuming. For my palate this eclipses the incredible ’99 and ’02 bottlings — and is absolutely amongst the finest ‘Cristal’ Rose wines ever produced. A short decant in a narrow decanter also does wonders to arouse the aromatics. Given 7G/L dosage, this was disgorged more than two years ago in June 2022. Sourced from the villages of Aÿ, Avize, and Mesnil-sur-Oger, nearly 20% of the base wines were stored in oak prior to disgorgement. This is big and burly with a refined effervescence. Delicate strawberry and red raspberry alongside chalky soils and nuances of kumquat zest with candied ginger all mark the palate. The length and elegance of the wine really shines as this is already drinking beautifully. Drink 2024-2044- 99

Cardinale

I have such fond memories of my first visit to Cardinale. This was back roughly 15 years ago and I sat at this majestic outdoor setting amongst the vineyards. The sunshine warmed the back patio and I tasted through multiple vintages of this amazing wine.

One of the great wines of the Napa Valley, Cardinale is located in the Napa floor, in Oakville not far from Robert Mondavi Winery. It is pretty common for them to have several vintages available which provides such a fun contrast to go back and forth between these gorgeous wines. Cardinale is a Cabernet-based wine with smaller parts of Merlot blended in. At the helm is superstar winemaker, Chris Carpenter, is an MBA graduate who has previously worked for Domaine Carneros, Domaine Chandon California, as well as Tenute Antinori, Santa Cristina Estate, in Montefiridolfi, Italy, before coming to Cardinale. Chris is humble when talking about his wines. He is truly one of the great talents of Napa.

It is just amazing how well these wines age. I think for my palate up there with the finest releases yet, the 2021 Cardinale Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 99) is a dense, massive, powerful wine that needs a ton of air before consuming. I think this will easily live on for another 30 years. Learn more about these stunning wines at http://www.cardinale.com/ and here is my tasting note for the gorgeous new 20121 Cardinale Cabernet Sauvignon.

2021 Cardinale Cabernet Sauvignon-  What must be one of the finest renditions of this wine, the 2021 Cardinale is composed of nearly all Cabernet Sauvignon (91%) with the remainder Merlot. Stored in 80% new French oak before bottling, this is a massive beast that really needs several hours in the decanter before consuming. A brilliant melange of mountain huckleberry and wild blackberry combine with tar, graphite, anise and creme de cassis on the palate. Big and round, with refined tannins and a generous mouthfeel, everything is firing on all cylinders here. This beauty will easy cellar for another twenty years. Again, this is not a pop and pour so give it plenty of time if you cannot resist opening it. Drink 2025-2050- 99

Bayernmoor Cellars

A winery that began back in 2011 by Kim and Larry Harris, Bayernmoor Cellars is set in the Puget Sound AVA just east of Stanwood, Washington. Bayernmoor is a family-owned winery on over 100 acres of southern-facing slopes viewing Mount Rainier. At this site Pinot Noir is planted making for conditions that somewhat mirror the Willamette Valley. Bayernmoor Cellars sources from some of the state’s great vineyards for other wines including Klipsun, Celilo, Coyote Canyon, and Destiny Ridge Vineyards.

I really enjoyed these wines. With no doubt the best wine I tasted was the 2021 Bayernmoor Chardonnay (OB, 92) which was dense and delicious coming from one of the state’s esteemed sites, the Celilo Vineyard in the Columbia Gorge AVA. Learn more about this winery at https://bayernmoor.com/ and here are my reviews of the new Bayernmoor Cellars wines.

2021 Bayernmoor Chardonnay- Sourced from the Celilo Vineyard, this delightful 2023 Chardonnay offers brioche and nutmeg drenched golden delicious apple on the nose alongside shades of heavy whipping cream. The palate is rich and delicious with a soft mouthfeel and good sense of salinity. Enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2019 Bayernmoor Pinot Noir- Coming from their estate vineyard in the Puget Sound AVA, this 2019 Pinot Noir offers a soft texture with delicate red fruits and hints of black truffle. Novel and fairly lean, enjoy over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 90

2018 Bayernmoor Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from the Klipsun Vineyard, this 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon delivers rich blackberry and black currant flavors that combine with chocolate on the palate. Soft and nicely textured, enjoy now. Drink 2024-2030- 91

WALT

Today we share the brilliant wines of WALT, named after Kathryn Hall's parents, Bob and Dolores Walt. Together the Walts were originally vintners and were a source of daily inspiration for her. WALT crafts their wines from some Pacific Coast's most distinctive vineyards from Sonoma to Oregon. For those who love Pinot Noir, this is a rare chance to try an incredible range of wines that showcase these incredible vineyards. I love loved these wines since their inception.

A few weeks ago I met with HALL vice president of winemaking Megan Gunderson who shared the latest set of wines from the 2023 vintage. These are amazing renditions of Pinot Noir from Oregon to Sonoma. Once again I adored the 2023 WALT ‘Bob’s Ranch’ Pinot Noir (OB, 96) which is a world-class expression of California Pinot Noir. Learn more about these beautiful wines at https://www.waltwines.com Here are the beautiful new wines by WALT.

2023 WALT ‘Shea Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Shea Vineyard’ shows pretty red roes petals that mingle well with orange peel, bergamot and suggestions of damp soils. Light cola and black raspberry notes mingle well on the palate, with beautiful finesse. Drinking well now, watch this evolve now and over the next fifteen years. Pommard, Wadenswil and 115 clonal selections. Drink 2024-2039- 94

2023 WALT ‘Blue Jay’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Blue Jay’ comes from two sites in the Anderson Valley (mainly Anderson Creek Vineyard) outside the town of Boonville. Wild blackberry and black cherry and shades of gran-cola. They incorporate roasted stems in the blend as this offers refined tannins with bright red and dark fruits, with salty soils and a smooth texture. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2023 WALT ‘Clos Pepe’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Clos Pepe’ come from this outstanding site in the Santa Barbara region. Salty red raspberry and red cherry notes combine with orange peel and diatomaceous earth on the nose. The palate is rich and dense with loads of salinity, with pomegranate seed and fresh sage. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2023 WALT ‘Sierra Mar’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Sierra Mar’ Pinot Noir come from this site owned by the Francioni family as the high-elevation site was formerly a cattle ranch. Pisoni clone Pinot Noir is planted here, as this opens with back florals alongside sandy soils. The palate shows loads of mouth-watering acidity with kumquat zest and rose water with shades of menthol. Drink 2024-2036- 94

2023 WALT ‘Bob’s Ranch’ Pinot Noir- This wine comes from this famed 75 acre Sonoma Valley site that was developed by Paul Hobbes and Ulysses Valdez. The site has a range of California heritage selections as the location was formerly owned by the Peterson family. On the nose this takes on layers of cola and crushed wildflowers alongside bergamot, black cherry compote and suggestions of wild blackberry. The palate is refined and elegant with plenty of depth and black truffle shavings. Deep, concentrated and loaded with finesse, enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2024-2039- 96